CHEYENNE, Wyo. — In this edition of “Meet the Candidates,” Eric Johnston shares with Cap City News how he envisions governing Wyoming if elected to the state Legislature. Johnston is one of six people running for Senate District 6.
The following are responses that Johnston shared with Cap City News. To view the Q&As of other candidates who have also submitted answers to us, click here.
What are your top three legislative priorities if elected to the Wyoming State Senate, and how do you plan to achieve them?
Energy: I support Wyoming’s legacy energy industries of coal, oil and gas, trona and uranium and will look closely at emerging sources such as hydrogen, nuclear and rare earth elements. Wyoming is good at these industries so let’s leverage our strengths to expand uses through innovation and foresight. The energy sector pays a large portion of Wyoming’s bills and when the bills are not paid, we cannot effectively address the more lofty issues. We have to maintain our strong revenue foundation in order to build upward.
Jobs: Spin off of Energy — Benefits of good-paying jobs permeate throughout our communities. I support a strong K–12 start and continuing education not only at UW and our Community Colleges but also for technical trades training. Having an educated society translates into having an employed society — develop talent.
Agriculture: A key component of Wyoming’s economy and heritage, I will work to protect private property and foster the ability to remain on the acres without government interference. I will work with the State Engineer’s office to insure beneficial use of our water resources.
What policies do you support to stimulate economic growth and diversify Wyoming’s economy beyond its traditional industries?
Unlock the allocated federal funds and expand our fiber coverage into our less populated communities. Having access to a robust fiber network allows for expanded work-from-home opportunities, access to telehealth and further homeschool opportunities.
Expand on the state’s extensive energy infrastructure and take advantage of other states desire to reduce CO2. Utilize our strengths in a different manner to benefit economically.
What measures would you advocate for to improve healthcare access and affordability for Wyoming residents?
As stated above, having reliable access to telehealth would be a great benefit to the rural Wyoming communities.
Rural Healthcare districts (W.S. 35-2-703/8) and Senior Care districts (W.S. 35-2-1201(b)) create locally invested avenues for improved healthcare access. Each county has different needs and views the issue differently so I would be cautious about setting rules for the entire state by the legislature. A statewide hospital district, for example, could streamline the system but one size may not fit all.
I will investigate making Emergency Medical Service (EMS) an “essential” service as law enforcement and fire protection are currently classified. We currently have a patchwork of EMS providers; private, hospitals, county and EMS districts. State guidance on EMS could assist in providing a more reliable service to our rural communities. Washakie County, for example, funds a county EMS and the residents bought-in to funding the level of service desired — local entities must be involved in forming a solution. A further point to investigate is how rural EMS is billed. When a hospital provided EMS cannot bill Medicare or an insurance company for their rural service, or their rates are drastically reduced, it does not make “commercial” sense to provide the service. The “commercial” part needs to be overridden by “health and welfare of the people” part.
How do you plan to balance Wyoming’s energy production with environmental conservation and sustainability efforts?
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage technology can use the state’s existing infrastructure to address both issues. We already have CO2 pipelines. We will drill new specific injection wells. We can capture CO2 at the source and either use it beneficially (cement manufacture) or store it. The result is low CO2 generated Wyoming electrons for sale in states who have adopted “green” requirements who otherwise would not purchase our traditionally generated electrons.
Wyoming does a good job at balancing economic and environmental issues — we value and protect our land for future generations. I want to sustain the jobs and revenue created by our legacy energy industries like the Laramie River Power Station which burns Wyoming coal efficiently. Emission improvements such as point CO2 capture will provide economic and environmental sustainability.
Is there anything else you’d like voters to know about you?
I am a Wyoming native with over 100 years of family ties to Platte County. I am a former Platte County Commissioner, a U.S. Army veteran, a registered Professional Engineer in both Wyoming and Texas and a Wheatland area farmer. I study issues, do my homework and make fact-based decisions guided by Christian values. Finally, I am thankful to have married Holly Hellbaum of Chugwater.
